Sunday Oyster Kitchen
Matt Tebbutt will be racing to the scenic shores of Loch Ryan from the BBC's Saturday Kitchen studio to make his festival debut. He will take part in several events during the weekend, including leading the new Sunday Oyster Kitchen experience. Matt commented: "The story of Loch Ryan's native oysters is remarkable. You've got this incredible natural resource that's been sustainably managed for centuries, and now it's the heart of a festival that's brought a whole community together. That's exactly the kind of food story I want to be part of."
Rosemary Shrager
One of Britain's most beloved TV chefs, Rosemary Shrager, is joining us for cooking demos, conversations, afternoon tea and lots of laughter. Her warmth and expertise have made her a household name through shows like The Real Marigold Hotel and I’m a Celebrity. At this year’s oyster festival, she will share stories from her remarkable career as well as her passion for cookery.
Tony & Julie Return
Two firm festival favourites, Tony Singh, the festival's Chef Ambassador, returns for his fifth appearance, while Julie Lin is returning for a third time. Both are taking part in their own 'Audience With...' events, as well as their solo cookery demos. Julie is also taking part in an event in our new Speakers' Corner venue, where she'll talk about her fantastic new book 'Sama Sama'.
Oyster Encounters
The nature-based elements of the festival programme are still being finalised, but we can promise you lots of opportunities to get to know our ecological heroes - Loch Ryan's precious native oysters. There will be a take-over of the Speakers' Corner marquee by SCAMP (Solway Coast and Marine Project), and we will be welcoming back to the festival some of the marine biologists who shared such fascinating information with us last year.
Scottish Shucking Championship
The ‘Shuck Off’ returns to Stranraer Oyster Festival, pitting chefs, oyster growers, producers, fishermen and industry professionals against each other in a bid to claim the title of Scottish Oyster Shucking Champion! The winner will go on to represent Scotland at the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway, Ireland. The Championship takes place from 12.30pm-2pm on Saturday 13th September, compèred by Chef Andy Cummings.
The Oyster Bar
The Oyster Bar is where festival-goers can indulge in the real stars of Stranraer Oyster Festival – the oysters themselves! There are Loch Ryan natives to try, as well as farmed rock oysters. For anyone trying oysters for the first time, the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery team are happy to spend time offering advice and tips about how best to enjoy them.
Amazing Local Food & Drink
If you've been to Stranraer Oyster Festival before, you'll know the artisan market and the street food stalls offer a fantastic showcase of local food, drink and craft producers. At the 2025 event there will be some limited edition Oyster Festival products, some exciting new stalls and some familiar stallholders. This is a brilliant opportunity to discover unique locally-sourced products, and to fill your baskets - and your belly - with a wide range of tasty goods!
Community Events & Experiences
Stranraer Oyster Festival is all about growing our community, as well as celebrating Loch Ryan's native oysters. There's a bumper line up of events and experiences that showcase the people and the stories happening our town. If you want to know all about Stranraer and what is driving community regeneration in the area, you'll find wheelbarrows of inspiration in Speakers' Corner on Sunday morning!
